Shakespeare and Milk
by themorningstar81
Summary: Alexandra is an Italian girl working as a barista in London. One evening Tom Hiddleston walks in and orders a cappuccino. Her life is going to change afterwards... In a way she would have never thought possible!


Alexandra released the steam valve and warmed the milk in the cup. She had stopped counting how many cappuccinos had prepared at least two hours earlier. Eventhough the day was incredibly hot, everybody seemed to be in the mood for a hot drink, so she spent most of her shift at the coffee machine, warming milk, sprinkling cocoa and adding marshmallows.

She arranged the cup on the tray together with a slice of apple pie and Caitlyn, her colleague, politely handed the bill to the customer.

They glanced at him while he sat at a table and tore the sugar bags.

- "Good thing that the day is almost over!" Alexandra smiled and checked the clock. - "It's so awfully hot here!" She made a face. She felt sticky and smelly and the only thing she was wishing for was to go home and have a long shower.

The customer sipped his cappuccino, ate his slice of pie, paid his bill and then left after smiling at the two girls behind the counter.

Caitlyn cleaned the table and lay the tray on the tray rack while Alexandra put the dishes in the dishwasher. She heard the door opening again and someone stepping in.

"Oh God, not now!" She thought. " It's only twenty minutes to closing!"

She turned around feigning courtesy.

- "Is it still possible to have a cappuccino, please?" The man in front of her smiled friendly.

The girl goggled, then smiled and nodded: - "Oh yes, sure! Please! Take a seat, I am bringing it immediately!"

The young man smiled widely before sitting under a black and white poster showing Los Angeles skyline.

- "What? You couldn't wait to close and now you look like you've got back all your energy!" Caitlyn whispered coming closer her.

- "Haven't you recognized him?" Alexandra answered while warming the milk.

- "No! Who is he?" Her colleague shook her hand quizzically.

-"Tom Hiddleston! He's an actor… Avengers, The Hollow Crown… didn't this ring a bell?" Whispered while smiling widely.

- "Uh… yes!" Caitlyn leant against the counter. - "You're right! It's him! Hmm, he's really hot" She mused knowing Alexandra's little crush on him, then she wrinkled her nose conspiratorially: - "So, dear… please… attend upon your man!" She whispered and chuckled.

Alexandra arranged the cup on a tray and sprinkled the milk surface with cocoa, swiftly drawing a sun with the foam and in that very moment she realised her miserable condition, or at least, the condition she thought she was in.

For Odin's sake! Tom Hiddleston is just a few steps away and I am about to serve him a cappuccino and watch me! Dirty hair and I am stinking of ham and cheese sandwiches… Oh gods!

She rushed in the back shop and hastily made her dark pony tail again looking at herself in the mirror. She was pretty but her ghastly 8 hour shift was claiming its toll. She brushed her black t-shirt with the shop's logo and a silly sentence on the back, sighed deeply and stepped outside again.  
Tom didn't seem to realise anything so much focused on his papers he was while Caitlyn was leaning against the counter, her arms folded and an amused smile on her lips: - "Are you going to let his cappuccino freeze? He ddn't ask for cold milk, hun!"

Alexandra stuck her tongue out, then grabbed the tray and walked next to Tom's table. She smiled kindly while her heart was throbbing frantically, it was hard to show coolness: - "Here is your cappuccino, sir!" She smiled while setting everything on the table: - "Do you need something else, sir?" She added clutching the tray close to her chest.

- "No, thank you very much!" He gave her a bright smile. .

Alexandra reached Caitlyn behind the counter and sighed putting down the tray in the tray rack without stopping looking at him. He was so concentrated reading a thick pile of pages, a new script maybe? He stretched out one hand to grab the cup and take a sip of cappuccino.

- "You should ask him an autograph!" Caitlyn whispered her.

- "I should but I really don't want to bother him… he looks so busy!" Alexandra tried to busy herself washing some cups.

- "C'mon baby… this may be your only chance to see him so close! You shouldn't waste it this way!" Caitlyn pushed on but Alexandra shook her head again. Her heart was still racing, she would have paid everything to have Tom's autograph but she really didn't want to bother him with something so unimportant.

- "No, Caith… really… leave it!" She smiled and started cleaning the counter.

A few minutes before 7 pm, Tom gathered his papers, stood up and approached the counter smiling apologetically: - "I am so sorry, I didn't realise it's closing time…"

Caitlyn stepped back to let Alexandra live her own small fairy tale. - "Oh, don't worry, we are open until 7 pm so you're still in time!" She chuckled and handed him the bill. She saw Caitlyn on the corner of her eye, she was looking at her with a big question mark stamped on her face: "Why aren't you asking him his autograph?"

Tom paid his order, then smiled sweetly: - "Good evening, girls! Thank you!" He waved his hand and walked outside.

Alexandra looked at him until he disappeared to the other side of the corner and Caitlyn woke her up from her small dream.

- "Silly girl!" She told her off jokingly: - "Your man was here and you just treated him like any other customer! I can't really believe it!"

Alexandra grabbed the broom and started sweeping the pavement in front of the counter: - "He is always chased by hundred of screaming girls, this was probably a very deserved relaxing moment, I wouldn't really like to spoil it!"

Caitlyn looked at her like if she had been insane: - "If you are happy… Then, it's ok for me!" She gestured and shrugged: - "But let me tell you!" She pointed at her smiling: - "That you're completely nuts, girl!"

That night, Alexandra found it hard to fall asleep, she felt exilarated and her mind kept showing her images of Tom, his exquisite contour bent on the pile of pages. Maybe Caith was right and she had to ask him an autograph, maybe a photo and a kiss… Or maybe it was right that way, just letting him enjoy his cappuccino like any other person.

Almost two weeks passed by and Alexandra simply locked in the memory of Tom sitting at that table just in front of the counter. She was really thinking that she had been silly to let him go without even asking for an autograph or a photo together but there it was… the chance was gone.

- "Thank you and good evening!" Alexandra smiled at the young mum who just bought a couple of Suki juices for her small kids and a coffee for herself. The youngest was blabbing in his pram while the oldest was literally squeezing her hand.

- "Have you ever thought of having kids, Alex?" Caitlyn asked casually while scrubbing the iron sink..

-" Not really!" The brunette shook her head in a smile and patted on the pile of neat dish clothes. - "I am too young for this stuff!"

- "You're of age… so you're not so young!" Caitlyn giggled.

Alexandra shook her head again; Caitlyn sometimes was so much sassy! Too much. - "C'mon! I am only 22 and I am a barista… I am not really in the position of thinking of a family and then… to build a family you first need a man!" She lifted one finger but in that very moment she saw Caitlyn expression change into a mischievous one. - "Like him?" She hinted at the door.

Alexandra turned just in time to see the tall, dark blonde man pushing the door.

- " .God!" She exclaimed under her breath almost parroting Jane Foster in Thor.

Tom had just entered the shop and was walking nimbly to the counter with one of his handsome, heavenly smiles on his lips: - "Good evening, girls. Am I still in time for a cappuccino?"

Alexandra nodded even before he had finished asking. - "Of course, you are! Please, sit down!"

- "I am very sorry for popping here always when you're about to close…" He scratched his nape with the loveliest smile ever.

- "No need to apologize… please… go, take your seat!" Alexandra waved towards the tables. - "Would you like something else with your cappuccino? We've a delicious apple pie…"

- "Well… yes… I'd take a slice of apple pie as well… Thank you!" Tom nodded gratefully and walked to the same table as the first time, grabbing the plastic binder in one hand. He sat graciously and crossed his legs while opening the binder and studying his papers.

- "Are you going to stare at him until it's too late to serve him his cappuccino and your heart?" Caitlyn prodded her dreamy colleague.

- "Uh… yeah… no… And you!" Alexandra whispered: - "Shut up! Don't you want him to hear all your nonsense?" She smirked and busied herself preparing the best cappuccino of the day. That time, she sketched a lovely dog head in the foam and cocoa, then placed the cup and the plate on the tray and added a slice of pie.

- "Here we are!" She stopped in front of Tom who raised his look and smiled: - "Thank you!" He nodded while Alexandra was placing everything on his table. - "Don't hesitate to ask if you need something else!" She smirked and trotted back to the counter where Caitlyn was slowly shaking her head.

- "What's wrong?" Alexandra slipped the tray in the holder and made a funny face.

- "You are wrong, hun! The man of your dreams is a few steps away and you simply pretend he is not here!" Her colleague whispered and blinked pretending to be bewildered.

- "Don't begin with this again!" Alexandra shook her head shooting a look at her friend.

- "Do you really think he hasn't understood you've recognized him? Well… if you aren't going yourself, I will for you… and ask him…."

- "No!" She grabbed her arm: - "You aren't going to do anything!" She whispered almost concerned, then she smiled again: - "Let him enjoy his cappuccino!"

She folded her arms and leant against the wall sometimes peering at him; he was so beautiful, even more than on TV! His slender frame was elegantly resting on the chair and his swift fingers were lightly browsing all his papers, taking small sips of his drink.

Fifteen minutes after, Tom stood up and gathered all his papers, slipped them in the binder and walked to the counter to pay his bill.

- "The pie was really delicious! Thank you very much!" He smiled and left a tip for both.

- "Thank you Mr Hiddleston!" Alexandra smirked and winked.

Tom blinked and then smiled almost surprised that nobody was asking him anything..

- "Mr Hiddleston!" Caitlyn barged in: - "My friend, here, is a fan of yours and is itching for asking you and autograph and a photo, perhaps…"

Alexandra's heart almost leapt out and gave a hint of an embarrassed smile: - "Well… I really don't want to disturb you… You are surely in a hurry and I…"

- "No worry!" Tom smiled comfortably while Caitlyn was handling him a memo block and a pen: - "What's your name?" He asked, placing his binder on the counter and leaning over the block.

- "Alessandra…." She spelt her original name.

- "It's a nice name!" He answered while he was swirling his name on the white paper adding some more lovely words".

Alexandra felt like going up in flames, her ears were buzzing and his heart was out of control.

- "Do you have any camera?" Tom raised his head and lay down the pen.

- "Yes! Sure!" Alexandra exclaimed and rushed to the back office to take her Iphone, then she went back and gave it to Caitlyn.

- "Ok… get closer now!" Caitlyn gestured to stay closer.

Alexandra stopped closer Tom and he slipped a hand behind her lower back and gently pulled her against him. She suddenly found herself stuck to him and a hint of classy cologne tickled her nose.

- "Say cheese!" Caitlyn exclaimed before taking a couple of pictures.

Even without that stupid word, Alexandra would have smiled all the same, she felt a million butterflies fluttering in her stomach while Tom was gently squeezing her against him.

Click! The photos were taken and Tom shifted away taking his bringer and wavin his hand: - "Bye girls, thank you for everything!"

Alexandra followed him and Caitlyn handed over her Iphone: - "You look absolutely stunned, hun…" She giggled and ended the last evenin chores before closing the shop.

The young brunette walked home unable to stop watching the two photos that were shining on the display. Tom looked gorgeous, as usual, his smile was radiant and absolutely genuine but she found that herself had quite a stupid look.  
She entered her small and cosy flat and after takin off her light jacket, Alexandra immediately plugged her Iphone to her PC to save the photos on the hard disk and secure them.

She was tempted of sending those photos out to all her Facebook friends but eventually, she gave up. She was somehow caring of Tom privacy and she decided to keep that small secret for herself and a small number of selected friends.  
She sighed in front of that photo and of his artsy autograph: "To Alessandra, never stop smiling and believing in life. Love, Tom Hiddleston"

A crazy thought crept in her mind, what if Tom had taken their shop into his liking and had become one of their most affectionate patrons? After all, he had come already twice!

Oh, that would have been amazing! Why not hoping? After all, that was exactly what Tom wished her: never stop smiling and believing in life!


End file.
